Take me down into your Paradise
by Terrenis
Summary: This is the awesome Tale of MerBoy Bucky and his winged human friend Steve...
1. Then

As far as Bucky could remember in his young Merman life, he loved to sit around with the other Merchildren in the Great Cave, where his people lived, and listen to the tales their elders would tell - tales about epic undersea battles, fought by ancient kings, and cursed mermen, who haunted certain waters.

Tales about the strange two-legged creatures who inhabited the land on the surface and used strange vessels to cross the seas (Bucky always wondered why they'd do this, when swimming was so much easier.).

His blue eyes would wide in horror hearing the tales telling them about the dangers the skies held within, of winged beings who apparently only lived to grab little Merchildren from their familiar environment and let them plummet to death on the unforgiving, waterless mainland (Bucky suspected that this is the reason why his parents don't let him and his siblings venture up alone.).

But the little merboy's favourite tale was about the Soul Kiss.

Once in a while, some of the two-legged beings would fall into the Seas and his kind would wait to welcome them in their realm. The Humans, as the Elders called them, would stare at them with wide eyes and offer them their souls as a gift, a thank-you for welcoming them. Of course, none of his people has denied this gift so far and claimed it by kissing the human.

Bucky had no idea, how it worked, but then he just loved the idea of the Soul Kiss.

So one day, when he, being the nosy tiny Merboy he was, illicitly swam to the surface all by himself, he was about to discover the true nature of the Soul Kiss and all those other tales he had learned to love.

oOo

Steve was doomed.

Being a member of a long-living, almost immortal race of winged humans, he had a knack for getting in trouble very often. Right now, he was plummeting towards the seemingly endless dark blue water surface of the ocean, having been knocked off his usual route back to his mother's nest by a sudden blast of wind, which had knocked out the air out of his frail lungs, resulting into a severe panic attack.

When he had come by, Steve only saw blue - and a glitter of silver. He had no time to wonder where that come from, because that's when he hit the wet surface with a loud splash and a much louder 'Ooommph'.

For a few seconds, the little blond boy blacked out. But it was enough time for his wings to get soaking wet and heavy as a sack full of stones, dragging him down into the black depths of the ocean, the cold liquid filling up his lungs until he could barely breathe anymore. His last thoughts went to his mother, who'd never know what happened to her only boy, and his only friend Sam. He'd miss them.

But then...

From the corner of his eye, he spotted the glitter of silver coming closer and he panicked again. The next thing he knew he was being heaved up to the surface and was drawing in deep breaths of fresh sea air when finally broke through it.

It took him several moments until Steve was able to breathe normally again. At least he wasn't sinking anymore, because something, or rather someone, steadied him. Turning his head, his corn blue eyes widened when he realized who it was.

It wasn't one of the sea monsters, who lived down here and, accordingly to his mother's narrations, loved to eat little winged children.

No, he stared right into the beautiful, stormy blue eyes of a boy.

oOo

Bucky couldn't believe it. He had made it. He had managed to sneak away from his parents' prying eyes and was on his way to the surface. He knew that what he about to do, was a stupid and dangerous thing.

But just today he had overheard his father talking about teaching his oldest sister the Soul Kiss thing and of course Bucky had been excited, wanted to learn it, too, but his father just said that he was too young for such a thing. One thing led to another and resulted in their biggest fight until then and Bucky swimming away in anger.

He swam until he could see the dark outlines of undersea mountains in the distance. Bucky knew that place. This was the place where the land began where the two-legged creatures lived. Under the water were also many entrances to underwater caves with beautiful crystalline stalactites illuminated by incident daylight, making them look like an underground palace. Those were the ones, which lead up to the land of the humans, and his favourite playground and hiding place.

Bucky was about to enter the entrance, when something hit the water not even 10 meters from him.

"What the...?" it slipped out of his mouth. Without thinking twice, he swam, as quickly as his tail allowed him to, to the object that was sinking slowly to the bottom. It looked...strange. Mostly it looked like one of those humans, but on his back were two appendages, consisting of lots of horny shafts fringed with fin-look-alikes. It looked beautiful, although, strangely enough, it closely resembled the winged creatures from the Tales.

By all means, Bucky should have left him alone, but the light-haired boy looked harmless enough that Bucky felt no fear. He grabbed him by the wings and hauled him upwards until they both broke through the surface, the other boy sputtering water and gasping for air. Bucky wrapped his tail around the boy's legs and steadied him that way to keep him over the water.

The light-haired boy's breathing soon became calmer and he opened his eyes, blue jewels gazing into Bucky's own. The Merboy's breath hitched and his eyes widened.

The winged boy was breathtakingly beautiful and Bucky knew he was doomed. On the other side, a part of him was excited that he got to rescue this boy. Now he would be getting his Soul Kiss.

Without thinking, Bucky pulled the boy closer and brushed his mouth on the boy's. This one gasped, but didn't pull back until Bucky did.

"What are you doing?" the boy asked Bucky.

"I'm giving you a Soul Kiss. I'm Bucky, by the way! I live down here in the ocean." he introduced himself, smiling sweetly at his opposite.

The boy flushed.

"I'm St-Steve. Nice to meet you, Bucky!" he replied. Gesturing to the cliffs on his left side, he said: "I normally live there, but I fell. Thanks for saving me!"

Bucky giggled. The boy was so cute.

"Do you mind if I give you another Soul Kiss? The first one doesn't seem to have worked." he asked, his eyes never leaving Steve's blushing face.

Steve blinked - and then shrugged his shoulders.

"Alright!"

Bucky shook his head, then pulled Steve in for another kiss and another one. And then another one, just to be sure.

Luckily, Steve didn't pull away. On the contrary, Steve found them quite nice, just like Bucky. He was not the children-eating monster, like his mother had told him so many times as a good-night-story. Bucky was beautiful - stormy blue eyes, longish, brown, wet hair and a long tail with glittering silver scales, which sparkled in the water.

Eventually they stopped just because they needed to breathe and Steve started to feel the weight of his wet wings.

"Can we go somewhere where I can dry off my wings? They're getting heavy."

Bucky took a moment to stroke them slowly. They were so soft, even in their wet state. Steve shivered, but not because of the cold water. The feeling of Bucky's fingers on his wings sparked something in him, but he didn't know why.

"I just know the place. Can you hold your breath for a minute?" Bucky asked.

Steve looked confused at him.

"Wh...AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Steve yelped when the Merboy pulled him as close as he could before submerging and swimming with an incredible velocity towards the underwater site of the cliffs and then entered a hidden cave passageway which led to a water pool in the middle of an impressive cave.

As soon as Steve was out of the water, he shook himself, water droplets hitting a laughing Bucky, who stayed with his lower body in the pool.

Just then he had time to take in his surroundings. To his surprise, the cave was relatively bright. On the other side, natural stairs led to an opening in the ceiling, through which daylight illuminated stalactites in the colours of the rainbow. It was amazing - a unique sight.

"Wow, that's amazing, Bucky!" Steve exclaimed, carefully touching the fragile feature.

"I know. It's my favourite hiding place. Glad you like it! So what do we do now?" Bucky asked with a mischievous grin on his handsome face.

oOo

They ended up spending the day talking about their families, their friends, their races, their favourite activities. They laughed about the Tales they had accepted as true and which now weren't more than fairy old wives' tales.

When they got hungry, Steve climbed up to the surface and found himself in the middle of a meadow with lots of berry bushes. While Bucky went back to the sea and brought back some weird green plants, Steve collected some of the berries for them. Then they shared their meals with each other. Bucky tasted some of the berries and found them delicious, while Steve tasted Bucky's green plants, which tasted strongly of salt and fish. Steve didn't like it much and stuck to his berries.

Time flew by and when it began to dawn, Steve knew he had to go home since he didn't like flying in the dark. Bucky pouted, but agreed eventually. He still had some questions about the Soul Kiss, but he'd ask one of the elders so he wouldn't have to bother his father again.

So Steve and Bucky shared a bittersweet goodbye kiss, promising that they'd meet again here in their secret cave.

Bucky watched with a heavy heart Steve climbing up the natural stairs and waving him goodbye before flying back to his nest. Just then the Merboy also left the cave. He was happy for once. He had a new friend and a new soul, although he still wasn't sure if it had worked right. But he'd badger an elder for answers.

oOo

MerCouncilman Pierce was the oldest merman on the MerCouncil and the most respected one. That's why Bucky came to him to get his answers.

"What can i do for you, child?" he asked gently, when Bucky approached him.

"I'm curious about the Soul Kiss! I asked him and he said I was too young for that."

Pierce laughed quietly.

"Oh child, you're not too young. Come on, I'll tell you about the Soul Kiss." he said, gesturing for Bucky to sit down at one of the rock seats in his study. The Merboy did as he was told.

"So you want to know about the Soul Kiss. Well, you certainly know that sometimes some of the humans enter our realm and we give them a Soul Kiss. This is no ordinary kiss you'd give your mate. The Soul Kiss is a kiss where we completely strip the humans of their life essence in order to gain our long live. It may sound cruel, but in order for us to live, they must die. It's a natural law."

Bucky had paled visibly during the Councilman's explanation. So that's what the Soul Kiss was all about. It was nothing more than a weapon to kill other beings with. And to think he had almost killed Steve with it...

No, he couldn't do that. He wouldn't do that again - never in his entire life. And if it meant to keep his distance from the winged boy, so be it.

"Are you alright, child?" Pierce asked, when Bucky didn't answer. The Merboy jerked out of his train of thoughts and looked at the old merman, nodding weakly.

"I'm okay. Thank you for your time, Councilman." Bucky said and left Pierce's study in a hurry.

Swimming to the ceiling of the Great Cave, he slipped into a hidden niche and just then he allowed himself to cry.

The Soul Kiss wasn't a nice thing. It was a necessary evil for his people. But right there, Bucky made himself swear to never use it. And he'd distance himself from Steve, even it hurt him to the core, because in just one day he had fallen in love with him.

But it was better that way.


	2. Now

When he had finally come back to his people's nest and after getting an earful from his mother and Sam, who had been worried sick about his absence all day, Steve couldn't sleep that night. His thoughts always drifted back to the cute Merboy he had just met. If he had known that beings like Bucky existed, he'd have fallen into the sea much earlier. Although he technically was a child yet, he could by all means himself imagine as Bucky's mate – living together in their little private cave, their nest, raising their children (although Steve had no idea how to get them yet).

Yes, definitively worth consideration. He'd bring it up to Bucky when they'd met tomorrow.

oOo

The next day, Steve was heading towards the cave, after promising his mother that he'd be back by dawn, and was excited to see the Merboy again. He entered the cave through the entrance in the meadow and called out.

"Bucky, are you here?"

But he didn't receive an answer. When his eyes adapted to the twilight, he looked around, searching for any sign that Bucky was here, but had no luck so far.

So he decided to wait for his friend, spent hours alone at the edge of the pool, hoping to see the silver sparkle of Bucky's tail in the dark water. His worries grew when there was no sign of the dark-haired boy and Steve imagined the worst scenarios in his mind - Bucky ill from some unknown sickness; Bucky captured, or worse, killed by other sea monsters that weren't as friendly as Bucky's people.

When it dawned and Steve had to leave, it was with a heavy heart. The blond boy would come back tomorrow and wait for him.

And he did.

Day after day he came back in the weeks that followed, spending his time either in the cave or circling above the area where they had first met. But still no sign of his friend.

Weeks turned into months. What had started in spring, became now autumn. Sam and Steve's mother were worried about him, knowing that his search was about to become an unhealthy obsession. Steve himself didn't care. He needed to find Bucky.

But deep in his heart, he slowly started losing hope. And one day, when the first white flakes started to fall down from the sky, he stayed at his nest and didn't venture out again.

oOo

Several years passed by.

Steve grew up from the little blond boy into a handsome, well-built young man and the time came for him to take to find a mate and found a family. But every time his mother brought it up, Steve remembered that one day all those years ago and his eyes would become teary. Although he felt complied to fulfil his mother's wishes, his heart wasn't really into it, because he still thought of the little Merboy and the sweet, innocent kisses they had shared.

So today, when his mother's persistent questioning finally became too much, he just hurled himself up in the air and left, ignoring his mother's shouts. Once again, he flew to the cliff coast and the meadow where their cave was located. The entrance was barely visible now, roots from a berry bush nearby covering the entrance. But Steve ripped the strong tendrils away as if they were mere tufts of grass.

Slowly, he descended down the stairs into the semi-darkness. Everything inside the grotto hadn't changed much since his last visit. Only some of the stalactites seemed to have grown over the two decades he hadn't been here. Sighing loudly, the winged man went deeper into the twilight.

Maybe it had been a mistake on his side to return to this particular place, because just looking at the pool and its glittering silver sparkle...

Steve suddenly stopped and had to stifle a gasp with his hand. A silver sparkle?

Could it be...?

The blond man decided to take the risk and slowly walked forwards, step by little step. The gleam of silver became stronger the more Steve approached the pond and all the more his heartbeat fastened. Would he really see Bucky again? After all these years?

Steve knew he should be more careful, but his desire to see his Merman friend was so much stronger than his cautiousness.

"Buck? Is that you?" he asked carefully.

Although he didn't get an answer, he could see some air-bubbles coming from deep down to the surface of the water. This revived that little spark of hope that had never really left his heart. Taking new courage, Steve walked on, until he reached the edge of the pond and knelt down, little sharp stoned digging in his knees. But the blond man easily ignored the pain. He reached out for the water.

"Bucky? It's me, Steve. Please show yourself! I've missed you so much." Steve begged with tears in his eyes.

The bubbling became more intense, until the pool literally seethed. But Steve wasn't prepared for what came next.

Bucky didn't come out of the pool.

Instead, two giant red tentacles shot out of the bubbling water, wrapping themselves tightly around Steve's throat. A deafening screeching sound rang through the cave and while Steve had to use both hands trying to keep the tentacles from squeezing the air out of him, he managed to take a quick look at his attacker.

The silver sparkle had turned to crimson and the thing, because Steve couldn't call it another name, slowly surfaced. Whatever it was, it seemed to be half Merman, half Octopus and was completely blood-red. And his face...

Steve gasped, when he saw the thing's face. He knew that face. He had heard about from Bucky, when they had been sharing their tales, but hadn't thought that it did in fact exist.

 **It was the face of a red skull.**

Without knowing, Steve had stumbled into the trap of the cursed Merman. And although he was strong and doing his best to get rid of the tentacles around his neck, air soon became a luxury. Steve started feeling lightheaded and black spots appeared in his vision.

So that's how he was going to die. Squeezed to death by a legend. Steve didn't even care at this point. If he couldn't see Bucky again, then he didn't want to live anymore.

Steve rapidly lost consciousness, his lungs screaming for air, and his body went limp, since he had no power for his struggles to get free anymore.

Just a moment before he completely blacked out, the Skull screeched again and a voice shouted "Steve". Then the Octopus-man loosened his tentacles and attacked someone else.

With his last strength, the winged man opened his eyes and saw...

Bucky.


	3. Then & Now

20 years ago, a little Merboy met a winged human boy and they spent a wonderful day together, both of them falling in love at first sight on the spot. They parted with the intention to meet again.

But then, things didn't turn out the way both boys expected.

oOo

After learning of the true nature of the Soul Kiss, Bucky started to seclude himself from the rest of his people. It didn't happen overnight, but was a slow process.

It started with him not attending the daily tale telling evening anymore, continued with sole forays in forbidden and dangerous territories and finally ended in a major fallout with his father, when Bucky was an almost grown up merman.

To be exact, it was the day when his father decided that Bucky was old enough to learn the Soul Kiss (he didn't know that his son knew of it ever since Pierce had told him what it was). Bucky refused to listen to him right away. Then of course the older merman got so angry at Bucky for disobeying him that it was inevitable to end in a shouting match between father and son. As a result, Bucky left the Great Cave and his family in a fit of anger and choose to stay at his hideouts near the cliff coast, always hoping to catch a glimpse of white wings above the water surface.

The only friend to keep him company in his self-exile was a redheaded vixen of a Mermaid called Natasha, his other only friend since childhood. She was the only one who kept him company sometimes and updated about his family.

Several years passed by that way, some of them spent carefully avoiding his and Steve's old secret cave, since it had apparently a new occupant, whom Bucky didn't want to meet face to face.

Today, he couldn't.

A few minutes earlier, when he had swum up to the top, a flash of white had appeared in the corner of his eye. His head had whipped around so fast that he almost knocked himself out. But his eyes only spotted the tip of two wings on the far edge of the cliff coast, before they disappeared exactly where the entrance to their secret grotto was, which was now occupied by the Red Skull - an ancient breed, half Merman, half Octopus. Although it wasn't cursed like some of his people believed it to be, his gruesome appearance certainly had led to the speculations.

"What are doing there, Stevie? You're gonna get in trouble." he said to no one, because there wasn't anyone here beside.

His heart skipped a beat at the thought to see his winged friend. Bucky was also afraid to be rejected after all those you, since he had been the one choosing to avoid Steve.

But now it seemed that Steve was going to get himself into a lot of trouble and needed to be saved by Bucky. Well, there were worse reunions.

The Merman submerged again and swam as fast as he could to the well-known entrance. Even from afar, he could hear the earsplitting screeching of the Skull. Suddenly Buck realized that he had no idea how to defeat the half breed. The only thing he could think of were the stalactites over the water pond. If he used enough force they'd probably break off the ceiling and impale the Skull.

Admittingly, the risk was high that they'd hit him, too. But it was a risk Bucky was willing to take.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly ventured into the dark passageway. The screeching become louder and louder the closer he came to the cave. Then Bucky saw it.

Six giant, crimson tentacles were hovering in the semi-darkness of the water, each of them twice as long he was (and Bucky was one of the tallest of his people), the upper body of the Skull probably outside the water. It was an impressive and yet terrifying sight.

The Merman stealthily approached the creature and craned his neck to see what was going on outside, barely stifling a gasp when he saw the familiar blonde man with the wings lying there, two tentacles squeezing the life out of him. He retreated silently, taking another shuddering breath, gathering all of his strength before he rushed forwards and slammed into the Skull with full force and a loud "Stevie" on his lips.

The creature let out another screech, but let go off Steve's neck when he was flung into the cave wall. Bucky felt dizzy for a moment when he retreated to the other side of the pond. His gaze fell on Steve and he gasped when the winged man's eyes stared directly at him.

"Buck?" Steve whispered, a hopeful look on his face, stretching out his arm to his long-lost friend.

"Stevie, I..." Bucky started, but then two of the Red Skull extremities wrapped lightning quickly around his right bicep and he was pulled underwater, Steve desperately screaming his name out loud.

For once he was lucky to be able to breathe underwater. Any other being would have drowned on the spot. Still, the raw force, which had pulled him back in, knocked the air out of his lungs for a moment. But before Bucky could free himself, two more tentacles wrapped itself around his other arm, then two around his waist, one around his neck and the last one around his silvery tail, trapping him effectively in a chokehold.

Bucky had difficulties to even move a little fin, let alone breathing normally. So this was what it felt like if you were being crushed to death. It wasn't at all nice. And to think that he just had found Stevie again...

Suddenly, the Skull pulled him forwards and Bucky, who had just in that moment decided to open his eyes, stared directly into two blood-coloured pupils that resided in pitch-black eye sockets. And for the first time in his life, Bucky was afraid - for Steve and himself.

Steve...

No, he had to be strong for his winged friend or he'd be the next one to be eaten by the ancient being.

Feeling a sudden burst of adrenaline, the Merman struggled against the iron grip of the tentacles, until he managed to get one arm free. Tearing off the one around his neck, it didn't take him much long to free himself from the rest. With a loud cry, he slammed his body into the Skull's, pushing the creature into the rocky walls - again and again. He didn't stop until something from above fell into pond and hit the Skull.

Only when the water began to turn black, Bucky let go, retreating to the other side, while breathing heavily. Through the hazy water he could see the giant stalactite that had impaled the red halfbreed. Bucky approached it carefully, but the Skull didn't move a single tentacle.

The Merman couldn't believe it. He had done it. He had killed the Red Skull, one of the nastiest creatures in the seas. But the more important thing was that Steve was. Speaking of Steve...

Bucky slowly emerged and moved to the edge of the pool. Steve was still lying there, but now on his left side, his ruffled wings stretched out on the wet cave floor. He could hear the soft sobbing coming from the blond man and immediately felt bad. If he had only arrived earlier, none of this would have happened.

"Steve?" Bucky said with a shaky voice.

The winged man opened his blue eyes, which were puffy from crying, and gasped when he saw the Merman, battered, but very much alive.

"Bucky?" he whispered and immediately scooted closer to the pool edge. But he still hesitated to touch his friend, afraid that he was hallucinating.

Bucky smiled slightly.

"Don't worry, Steve. I'm here for real."

Steve started crying again, when he realized that he wasn't hallucinating at all. Bucky just wanted to hug him. He didn't want Steve to cry because of him.

"Why didn't you come back all those years ago? I thought you were dead. Or was it because of me?" Steve whispered.

Bucky closed his eyes, took a deep breath and opened them again. Well, time to do some overdue straight talking.

"It wasn't you, Steve. It was me. When you left that day, I asked one of our Elders about the Soul Kiss. And he told me the truth - that the Soul Kiss was an instrument to feed off other beings life essence. I couldn't do that you, nor could I do this to any other creature. That's why I secluded myself from everyone and everything. I love you too much to hurt you." he confessed, his eyes never leaving Steve's.

That put a radiant smile on Steve's face. He stretched out his right hand and grabbed Bucky's left. Both men gasped when a spark of electricity run through them both at the simple touch.

"You know I feel the same when it comes to you, Buck!" Steve whispered and pressed his lips on Bucky's fingers.

Another spark occurred.

"And I don't really care about the Soul Kiss. I just want to kiss you like you are!" he continued.

Another kiss, another spark.

"And now you owe me kisses for the last twenty years. We better get started, since I intend to take you as my mate." the blond man now purred, sending shivers down Bucky's spine.

The merman blinked at that, but didn't complain.

"Alright."

Steve smirked and then hauled Bucky halfway out of the pool. Then he took Bucky's head in his hands and kissed him for real.

It was Bucky's and Steve's best kiss ever.

What they both didn't notice was the bright light engulfing them, nor the way it was about to change them. This was a real Soul Kiss. But instead of draining Steve's life essence, it fused their souls together so that they become Soulmates - Two body's, one soul.

Just like it was always destined to be.

 **The End!**

Come and visit me on Tumblr or AO3 for more Stucky goodness and fiction from me. You can find me there under the same penname.


End file.
